Processing secure content on a virtual reality system

ABSTRACT

Described herein are techniques and technologies to identify an encrypted content within a field of view of a user of a VR/AR system and process the encrypted content appropriately. The user of the VR/AR technology may have protected content in a field of view of the user. Encrypted content is mapped to one or more protected surfaces on a display device. Contents mapped to a protected surface may be rendered on the display device but prevented from being replicated from the display device.

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. ProvisionalPatent Application No. 63/014,645, filed Apr. 23, 2020, entitled“PROCESSING SECURE CONTENT ON A VIRTUAL REALITY SYSTEM,” the entirecontent of which is incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.

BACKGROUND

Modern computing and display technologies have facilitated thedevelopment of systems for so-called “virtual reality” or “augmentedreality” experiences, wherein digitally produced images or portionsthereof are presented in a wearable device to a user in a manner whereinthey seem to be, or may be perceived as, real. A virtual reality, or“VR,” scenario typically involves presentation of digital or virtualimage information without transparency to other actual real-world visualinput; an augmented reality, or “AR,” scenario typically involvespresentation of digital or virtual image information as an augmentationto visualization of the actual world around the user.

Mixed reality (e.g., VR or AR) scenarios often include presentation ofvirtual content (e.g., color images and sound) corresponding to virtualobjects in relationship to real-world objects. For example, a user of aVR/AR technology may a real-world, physical, room-like setting featuringfurniture, windows, a computer screen provided on a table top, and atelevision. In addition to these items, the user of the VR/AR technologyalso perceives that they “see” virtual objects that do not exist in thereal-world. The virtual objects may take any of a large variety offorms, having any variety of data, information, concept, or logicalconstruct capable of being represented as an image. Non-limitingexamples of virtual objects may include: a virtual text object, avirtual numeric object, a virtual alphanumeric object, a virtual tagobject, a virtual field object, a virtual chart object, a virtual mapobject, a virtual instrumentation object, or a virtual visualrepresentation of a physical object.

According to various embodiments, the user of the VR/AR technology mayhave protected content (e.g. paid programming provided on the televisionin the above real-world room setting example) in a field of view of theuser. Such protected (e.g. encrypted) content should not be allowed tobe replicated (e.g. recorded, stored or distributed) from the displaydevice of the AR technology. Current VR/AR techniques do not allow forprotecting the encrypted content on the display device.

SUMMARY

Described herein are techniques and technologies to identify anencrypted content within a field of view of a user of a VR/AR system andprocess the encrypted content appropriately.

According to various embodiments, the user of a VR/AR technology mayhave protected content (e.g. paid programming provided on thetelevision) in a field of view of the user. Such protected (e.g.encrypted) content should may be protected while displayed on thedisplay device of the VR/AR technology. For example, while the encryptedcontent may be rendered on the display device, the encrypted content isprevented from being replicated (e.g. recorded, stored or distributed)from the display device. Embodiments provide techniques for displayingthe encrypted content in a protected manner on the display device. Forexample, embodiments allow for mapping content to one or more protectedsurfaces on a display device when the system identifies an encryptedcontent within the field of view of the user. Content mapped to one ormore protected surfaces may be rendered on the display device andprevented from being replicated from the display device.

Embodiments provide a method for displaying content components on adisplay device. The method comprises receiving, by a processingplatform, a plurality of content components. The method also includesidentifying, by the processing platform, an encrypted content componentamong the plurality of content components. The processing platformtransmits the encrypted content component to the display device. Atleast the encrypted content component is mapped to a protected surface.

Various embodiments provide a processing platform comprising one or moreprocessors; and one or more storage devices storing instructions that,when executed on the one or more processors, cause the one or moreprocessors to: receive a plurality of content components, identify anencrypted content component among the plurality of content components,and transmit the encrypted content component to a display device. Atleast the encrypted content component is mapped to a protected surface.

Embodiments further provide a system including a processing platform, afirst source configured to provide an unencrypted content component, asecond source configured to provide an encrypted content component; anda display device configured to display at least the encrypted contentcomponent on a protected surface. The processing platform includes oneor more processors; and one or more storage devices storing instructionsthat, when executed on the one or more processors, cause the one or moreprocessors to: receive a plurality of content components, identify theencrypted content component among the plurality of content components,and transmit the encrypted content component to the display device. Atleast the encrypted content component is mapped to the protectedsurface.

Additional and other objects, features, and advantages of the disclosureare described in the detail description, figures and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The drawings illustrate the design and utility of various embodiments ofthe present disclosure. It should be noted that the figures are notdrawn to scale and that elements of similar structures or functions arerepresented by like reference numerals throughout the figures. In orderto better appreciate how to obtain the above-recited and otheradvantages and objects of various embodiments of the disclosure, a moredetailed description of the present disclosures briefly described abovewill be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof, which areillustrated in the accompanying drawings. Understanding that thesedrawings depict only typical embodiments of the disclosure and are nottherefore to be considered limiting of its scope, the disclosure will bedescribed and explained with additional specificity and detail throughthe use of the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1A illustrates an embodiment for rendering encrypted content andunencrypted content on a protected surface of a display device,according to some embodiments;

FIG. 1B illustrates an embodiment for rendering unencrypted content onan unprotected surface of a display device, according to someembodiments;

FIG. 1C illustrates an embodiment for rendering encrypted content on aprotected surface and unencrypted content on an unprotected surface of adisplay device, according to some embodiments;

FIG. 2A illustrates a block diagram illustrating a content processingplatform, according to some embodiments;

FIG. 2B illustrates a block diagram illustrating a content processingplatform, according to some embodiments;

FIG. 3A illustrates a block diagram illustrating a compositor formapping content to an unprotected or a protected surface of a displaydevice, according to some embodiments;

FIG. 3B illustrates a block diagram illustrating a compositor formapping encrypted content to a protected surface and mapping unencryptedcontent to an unprotected surface of a display device, according to someembodiments;

FIG. 4A is a flowchart illustrating a method for displaying encryptedcontent on a display device, according to some embodiments;

FIG. 4B is a flowchart illustrating a method for displaying encryptedcontent and unencrypted content on a display device, according to someembodiments; and

FIG. 5 is a block diagram schematically depicting an illustrativecomputing system, according to some embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments provide systems, methods, and articles of manufacture fordisplaying encrypted content on a protected surface on a virtual reality(VR) or an augmented reality (AR) display device. The encrypted contentmay be provided by an encrypted content source (e.g. source providingencrypted content). Content mapped to a protected surface may berendered on the display device and prevented from being replicated (e.g.recorded, stored, shared or live streamed on social media) from thedisplay device.

In some embodiments, the encrypted content (e.g. protected data) may notbe accessed from a central processing unit (CPU) of a content processingplatform. Under a protected mode, it is possible to read from bothprotected and unprotected surfaces. However, it is only possible towrite out to the protected surfaces. Accordingly, while the encryptedcontent is rendered on the AR display device, the encrypted content isprevented from being accessed, shared, stored and/or recorded.

In some embodiments, a secondary source (e.g. an unencrypted contentsource) may provide unencrypted content. When there is only unencryptedcontent, the content may be displayed on an unprotected surface on thedisplay device. The content rendered on an unprotected surface can bestored, replicated, or shared. In some embodiments, when a graphicsprocessing platform receives both encrypted content and unencryptedcontent, the contents are displayed on a protected surface on thedisplay device due to the presence of the encrypted content. That is, ona recording made from the display device, the protected surface may bedisplayed only as a contour (e.g. an empty rectangle) while contentmapped to the unprotected surface may be displayed on the recording.Thus, embodiments allow keeping the encrypted nature of protectedcontent on an AR experience.

In some embodiments, when the graphics processing platform receives bothencrypted content and unencrypted content, the content processingplatform may be configured to map encrypted content to a protectedsurface and map the unencrypted content to an unprotected surface on thedisplay device.

Various embodiments will now be described in detail with reference tothe drawings, which are provided as illustrative examples of thedisclosure so as to enable those skilled in the art to practice thedisclosure. Notably, the figures and the examples below are not meant tolimit the scope of the present disclosure. Where certain elements of thepresent disclosure may be partially or fully implemented using knowncomponents (or methods or processes), only those portions of such knowncomponents (or methods or processes) that are necessary for anunderstanding of the present disclosure will be described, and thedetailed descriptions of other portions of such known components (ormethods or processes) will be omitted so as not to obscure thedisclosure. Further, various embodiments encompass present and futureknown equivalents to the components referred to herein by way ofillustration.

FIG. 1A illustrates an embodiment for rendering encrypted content andunencrypted content on a protected surface of a display device,according to some embodiments. A user 100 may be wearing an AR headpieceincluding a display device 104. There may be an encrypted content source106 providing encrypted content and an unencrypted content source 108providing unencrypted content in a field of view 110 of the user 100. Insome embodiments, the encrypted content source 106 may include atelevision providing subscription-based programming, and the unencryptedcontent source 108 may include a gaming console displaying a desktopgame.

A content processing platform receiving the inputs from the encryptedcontent source 106 and the unencrypted content source 108 may identifythe encrypted content component and determine that all inputs (both theencrypted content and the unencrypted content) is to be displayed on aprotected surface on the display device 104. The contents of theprotected surface displayed on the display device 104 may be rendered onthe display device and prevented from being replicated from the displaydevice. For example, if the content displayed on the display device isrecorded, the protected content may be recorded as an empty box, showingmerely a contour of the box without rendering the content of theprotected surface on the stored copy. One of ordinary skill in the artwill appreciate that the protected content may be protected in any othersuitable manner (e.g. scrambled picture, distorted picture, redactedcontent, using alternative images, etc.).

The content processing platform may generate one or more protectedsurfaces 114, and may map an encrypted content component 124 and anunencrypted content component 126 to the protected surface(s) 114. Thecontent processing platform may then transmit the protected surface(s)114 as well as the encrypted content component 124 and the unencryptedcontent component 126 to the display device 104. In some embodiments,only encrypted content component 124 may be present within the field ofview 110 of the user 100 (e.g. there may be no unencrypted contentcomponent 126). As long as the encrypted content component 124 is withinthe field of view 110 of the user 100, only the protected surface(s) 114is displayed on the display device 104. Accordingly, all content may berendered on the display device 104 and prevented from being recorded,stored or otherwise replicated from the display device 104.

When the user 100 turns their gaze toward the unencrypted content sourceproviding the unencrypted content (e.g. the desktop game), such that theencrypted content source is no longer in the field of view 110, theunencrypted content will be displayed on an unprotected surface of thedisplay device 104. That is, when the encrypted content is no longerwithin the field of view 110 of the user 100, the input provided to thecontent processing platform only includes the unencrypted content. Thisis illustrated in FIG. 1B.

FIG. 1B illustrates an exemplary embodiment for rendering unencryptedcontent on an unprotected surface of a display device according toexemplary embodiments of the present invention. The processing platformmay generate one or more unprotected surfaces 116, and may map theunencrypted content component 126 to the unprotected surface(s) 116. Theprocessing platform may then transmit the unprotected surface(s) 116 aswell as the unencrypted content component 126 to the display device 104.The unencrypted content component 126 may be rendered on the displaydevice 104 and may be recorded, stored or otherwise replicated from thedisplay device 104.

FIG. 1C illustrates another exemplary embodiment for rendering encryptedcontent on a protected surface and unencrypted content on an unprotectedsurface of a display device according to exemplary embodiments of thepresent invention. According to various embodiments, when both theencrypted content component 124 and the unencrypted content component126 are within the field of view 110 of the user 100, it may be possibleto generate protected and unprotected surfaces, and map the encryptedcontent component 124 to the protected surface 114, and map theunencrypted content component 126 to the unprotected surface 116.Accordingly, while both the encrypted content component 124 and theunencrypted content component 126 are rendered on the display device104, only unencrypted content component 126 may be replicated (e.g.stored, recorded or shared) from the display device 104. According tovarious embodiments, a recording generated from the display device 104may include the unencrypted content component 126 and merely a boxcontour to represent the protected surface 114 without showing what isrendered in the protected surface 114.

For example, in the above example where the user views the encryptedcontent source (e.g. the television) and the unencrypted content source(e.g. the desktop game) at the same time, the subscription-basedprogramming may be mapped to a protected surface on the display device,and the desktop game may be mapped to an unprotected surface on thedisplay device. A recording made from the display device (e.g. a socialmedia post from the display device, live feed from the display device)may illustrate the desktop game while the subscription-based programmingprovided by the television is not displayed (e.g. only a boxrepresenting the television is provided on the recording).

Regardless of the specifics of the embodiments discussed above inconnection with FIGS. 1A-1C, the encrypted content component isprevented from being mapped to and replicated from an unprotectedsurface on the display device.

As described above, the processing platform 200 may be configured toprocess content for displaying on a display device. FIG. 2A illustratesa simplified exemplary block diagram illustrating the processingplatform 200 according to exemplary embodiments of the presentinvention. The exemplary processing platform 200 may include anencrypted content source 204, an unencrypted content source 206, agraphics processing engine 208, a shared memory 210, a surface generator212, a compositor 214, a hardware controller 216 and a display device218, among other elements.

The graphic processing engine 208 may receive input (e.g. contentcomponents such as audio content, video content, textual content, etc.)from the encrypted content source 204 and the unencrypted content source206. The graphics processing engine 208 may pass the received contentcomponents to the shared memory 210.

The content components from the encrypted content source 204 and theunencrypted content source 206 may also be provided to a surfacegenerator 212. The surface generator 212 may generate one or moreprotected surfaces and/or one or more unprotected surfaces. The surfacegenerator 212 may pass the generated protected and/or unprotectedsurface(s) to the compositor 214.

The compositor 214 may receive the content components from the sharedmemory 210. The compositor 214 may also receive the generated protectedand/or unprotected surface(s) from the surface generator 212. Thecompositor 214 may determine whether the received content component isencrypted (e.g. protected) or unencrypted (e.g. unprotected). Forexample, the compositor 214 may determine the encryption status of thecontent component based on the source providing the content component,and/or an identifier associated with the content component.

For embodiments where the presence of encrypted content componentresults in all content being mapped to protected surfaces (e.g. asdiscussed above in connection with FIG. 1A), the compositor 214 maycombine the encrypted content component and the unencrypted contentcomponent into a single frame and may map the single frame to one ormore protected surfaces. The compositor 214 may then pass the singleframe and the one or more protected surfaces to the hardware controller216. The hardware controller 216 may transmit the single frame(including the received encrypted and unencrypted content components)and the one or more protected surfaces to the display device 218. Thedisplay device 218 displays the single frame on the protected surface,such that as long as encrypted content component is present in thereceived input, the output displayed on the display device 218 cannot bereplicated from the display device 218. Accordingly, the encryptedcontent cannot be shared, recorded, stored or otherwise accessed fromthe display device 218 or the processing platform in general.

When the user modifies their field of view to only include unencryptedcontent, the compositor 214 will determine the content componentretrieved from the shared memory 210 as the unencrypted contentcomponent. The compositor 214 may also receive the generated unprotectedsurface(s) from the surface generator 212. For embodiments where thereis only unencrypted content component (e.g. as discussed above inconnection with FIG. 1B), the compositor 214 may map the unencryptedcontent component to one or more unprotected surfaces. The compositor214 may then pass the unencrypted content component and the one or moreunprotected surfaces to the hardware controller 216. The hardwarecontroller 216 may transmit the unencrypted content component and theone or more unprotected surfaces to the display device 218. The displaydevice 218 displays unencrypted content on the unprotected surface. Theunencrypted content can be replicated, shared, recorded, stored orotherwise accessed from the display device 218 or the processingplatform in general.

In some embodiments (e.g. as discussed above in connection with FIG.1C), the compositor 214 may be configured to map the encrypted contentcomponent to the one or more protected surfaces and map the unencryptedcontent component to the one or more unprotected surfaces. Thecompositor 214 may then merge the encrypted content component and theunencrypted content component to a single frame, and pass the singleframe (along with the surfaces and the mapping information) to thehardware controller 216.

As illustrated in FIG. 2A, there may not be a direct link between thesources and the hardware controller 216. The hardware controller 216only receives input from the compositor 214 for transmitting to thedisplay device 218. The hardware controller 216 may transmit the singleframe (along with the surfaces and the mapping information) to thedisplay device 218. The display device 218 displays the encryptedcontent on the one or more protected surfaces and displays theunencrypted content on the one or more unprotected surfaces.Accordingly, while the encrypted content cannot be replicated, recorded,stored or otherwise accessed from the display device 218, theunencrypted content can be freely replicated.

FIG. 2B illustrates a detailed exemplary block diagram illustrating theprocessing platform according to exemplary embodiments of the presentinvention. As illustrated in 2B, the graphics processing engine maygenerate a frame loop for each of the received content components. Thegraphics processing engine may generate an encrypted frame loopincluding the encrypted start frame, encrypted rendering, and encryptedend frame for the encrypted content component. The graphics processingengine may also generate an unencrypted frame loop including theunencrypted start frame, unencrypted rendering, and unencrypted endframe for the unencrypted content component. The graphics processingengine may transmit the frame loops to the compositor for furtherprocessing.

FIG. 3A illustrates an exemplary block diagram illustrating thecompositor 214 for mapping content to an unprotected or a protectedsurface of a display device according to exemplary embodiments of thepresent invention. Upon receiving the content component from the sharedmemory, the compositor 214 may determine the encryption status of thecontent component (whether the content component includes encryptedcontent or unencrypted content).

According to various embodiments, the compositor 214 may include acontent identifying module 302. Content identifying module may analyzethe received content component as well as determine the source providingthe content component. For example, the content identifying module 302may determine an identifier (ID) associated with the content componentand/or with the source providing the content component.

If the content identifying module 302 determines that the receivedcontent includes encrypted content, the content identifying module 302passes the processing to the encrypted content processing module 304.The encrypted content processing module 304 may map the encryptedcontent component to one or more protected surfaces and generateencrypted composited surface 306.

If the content identifying module 302 determines that the receivedcontent component includes unencrypted content component, the contentidentifying module 302 passes the processing to the unencrypted contentprocessing module 308. The unencrypted content processing module 308 maymap the encrypted content component to one or more unprotected surfacesand generate unencrypted composited surface 310. The encryptedcomposited surface 306 and the unencrypted composited surface 310 may bepassed to a final surface identifying module 312.

The final surface identifying module 312 may combine the receivedcomposited surfaces into a single surface (i.e. protected surface ifthere is any encrypted content component present, and unprotectedsurface if there is only unencrypted content component). The compositor214 may then pass the final surface 314 to the hardware controller 216for transmission to the display device. The final surface 314 may onlyinclude protected surface(s) (e.g. when there is any encrypted content)or unprotected surface(s) (e.g. when there is only unencrypted content).While the content for both the protected surface and the unprotectedsurfaces may be displayed on the display device, only content from anunprotected surface may be replicated, recorded, stored or otherwiseaccessed from the display device.

The compositor illustrated in FIG. 3A may be used in connection withembodiments discussed above in connection with FIGS. 1A and 1B.

As described above, it may also be possible to map encrypted contentcomponent to protected surface(s) and unencrypted content component tounprotected surface(s). FIG. 3B illustrates an exemplary block diagramillustrating the compositor for mapping encrypted content component to aprotected surface and mapping unencrypted content component to anunprotected surface of a display device according to exemplaryembodiments of the present invention.

Upon receiving the content component from the shared memory, thecompositor 214 may determine the encryption status of the contentcomponent (whether the content is encrypted content, unencryptedcontent). According to various embodiments, the compositor 214 mayinclude a content identifying module 302. Content identifying module mayanalyze the received content component as well as determine the sourceproviding the content component. For example, the content identifyingmodule 302 may determine an identifier (ID) associated with the contentcomponent and/or with the source providing the content component.

If the content identifying module 302 determines that the receivedcontent component includes encrypted content, the content identifyingmodule 302 passes the processing to the encrypted content processingmodule 304. The encrypted content processing module 304 may map theencrypted content component to one or more protected surfaces andgenerate encrypted composited surface 306.

If the content identifying module 302 determines that the receivedcontent component includes unencrypted content, the content identifyingmodule 302 passes the processing to the unencrypted content processingmodule 308. The unencrypted content processing module 308 may map theencrypted content component to one or more unprotected surfaces andgenerate unencrypted composited surface 310.

The encrypted composited surface 306 and the unencrypted compositedsurface 310 may then be merged into a single final surface 316 includingprotected surface(s) and unprotected surface(s). The compositor 214 maythen pass the final surface 316 to the hardware controller 216 fortransmission to the display device. While the content for both theprotected surface and the unprotected surfaces may be displayed on thedisplay device, only content from an unprotected surface may bereplicated, recorded, stored or otherwise accessed from the displaydevice.

The compositor illustrated in FIG. 3BA may be used in connection withembodiments discussed above in connection with FIG. 1C.

FIG. 4A is a simplified flowchart illustrating a method for displayingencrypted content component on a display device according to someembodiments of the present invention.

At step 402, a processing platform may receive a plurality of contentcomponents from one or more sources. According to various embodiments,the sources may provide encrypted content and/or unencrypted content.

At step 404, the platform may identify an encrypted content componentamong the plurality of content components. For example, the platform mayanalyze the received content components and determine an identifierassociated with the source providing the content component and/or withthe content components itself. The platform may determine the encryptionstatus of the content component based on the identifier.

At step 406, the platform may generate a protected surface. Theencrypted content component may be configured to be rendered only on theprotected surface. The protected surface may include a texture having apredetermined dimension that maps to a field of view on the displaydevice.

At step 408, the platform may map the encrypted content component to theprotected surface. The content mapped to the protected surface isrendered on the display device but prevented from being replicated fromthe display device. According to various embodiments, the platform maydisable sharing, recording and/or storing features of the processingplatform with respect to the protected surface.

In some embodiments, the plurality of content components may alsoinclude unencrypted content components. At optional step 410, theplatform may identify an unencrypted content component among theplurality of content components. The platform may then merge theencrypted content component and the unencrypted content component into asingle output frame (step 412). Based on the presence of the encryptedcontent, the platform may then map the single output frame to theprotected surface. Such that, when the encrypted content component andthe unencrypted content component are transmitted to a display device,both contents are mapped to the protected surface on the display device.Accordingly, both contents will be protected from being replicated fromthe display device.

According to various embodiments, the encrypted content source mayprovide at a first timeline, the unencrypted content source may provideat a second timeline, and the platform may generate at third timelinewith the generated single frames using the content components from theencrypted content source and the unencrypted content source. Accordingto various embodiments, the third timeline may be based on a refreshrate of the compositor.

At step 416, the platform may transmit the encrypted content componentor the single output frame mapped to the protected surface to thedisplay device. The encrypted content component or the single outputframe is rendered on the protected surface on the display device.

According to various embodiments, upon receiving the plurality ofcomponent components, the platform may create a plurality of frameloops. Each frame loop may correspond to one of the plurality of contentcomponents. The platform may then queue the plurality of frame loopsinto a frame loop pipeline, and obtain a frame loop from the frame looppipeline. The platform may be able to determine whether the frame loopcorresponds to the encrypted content component or an unencrypted contentcomponent based on a source of the plurality of component components.

FIG. 4B is a simplified flowchart illustrating a method for displayingencrypted content component and unencrypted component on a displaydevice according to some embodiments of the present invention.

At step 452, a processing platform may receive a plurality of contentcomponents from one or more sources. According to various embodiments,the sources may provide encrypted content and/or unencrypted content.

At steps 454 and 456, the platform may identify an encrypted contentcomponent and an unencrypted content component, respectively, among theplurality of content components. For example, the platform may analyzethe received content components and determine an identifier associatedwith the source providing the content component and/or with the contentcomponents itself. The platform may determine the encryption status ofthe content component based on the identifier.

At step 458, the platform may generate at least one protected surfaceand at least one unprotected surface. The encrypted content componentmay be configured to be rendered only on the protected surface.

At step 460, the platform may map the encrypted content component to theprotected surface and map the unencrypted content component to theunprotected surface. The content mapped to the protected surface may berendered on the display device, but prevented from being replicated.According to various embodiments, the platform may disable sharing,recording and/or storing features of the processing platform withrespect to the protected surface.

At step 462, the platform may merge the encrypted content component andthe unencrypted content component into a single output frame.

At step 464, the platform may transmit the single output frame to thedisplay device. The encrypted content component is then rendered on theprotected surface on the display device, and the unencrypted contentcomponent is rendered on the unprotected surface on the display device.Accordingly, while the encrypted content cannot be replicated from thedisplay device, the unencrypted content can be replicated from thedisplay device.

According to various embodiments, prior to transmitting the singleoutput frame to the display device, the platform may allocate theencrypted content component to the protected surface on the displaydevice and the unencrypted content component to the unprotected surfaceon the display device. In some embodiments, the protected surface andthe unprotected surface may map to mutually exclusive fields of view onthe display device. In other embodiments, the protected surface and theunprotected surface map to two fields of view that overlap on thedisplay device, the overlap between the fields of view may be displayedon a protected surface on the display device.

System Architecture Overview

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of an illustrative computing system 500,according to some embodiments. Computer system 500 includes a bus 506 orother communication mechanism for communicating information, whichinterconnects subsystems and devices, such as processor 507, systemmemory 508 (e.g., RAM), static storage device 509 (e.g., ROM), diskdrive 510 (e.g., magnetic or optical), communication interface 514(e.g., modem or Ethernet card), display 511 (e.g., CRT or LCD), inputdevice 512, and cursor control.

According to some embodiments, computer system 500 performs specificoperations by processor 507 executing one or more sequences of one ormore instructions contained in system memory 508. Such instructions maybe read into system memory 508 from another computer readable/usablemedium, such as static storage device 509 or disk drive 510. Inalternative embodiments, hard-wired circuitry may be used in place of orin combination with software instructions to implement the disclosure.Thus, embodiments are not limited to any specific combination ofhardware circuitry and/or software. In one embodiment, the term “logic”shall mean any combination of software or hardware that is used toimplement all or part of the disclosure.

The term “computer readable medium” or “computer usable medium” as usedherein refers to any medium that participates in providing instructionsto processor 507 for execution. Such a medium may take many forms,including but not limited to, non-volatile media and volatile media.Non-volatile media includes, for example, optical or magnetic disks,such as disk drive 510. Volatile media includes dynamic memory, such assystem memory 508.

Common forms of computer readable media includes, for example, floppydisk, flexible disk, hard disk, magnetic tape, any other magneticmedium, CD-ROM, any other optical medium, punch cards, paper tape, anyother physical medium with patterns of holes, RAM, PROM, EPROM,FLASH-EPROM (e.g., NAND flash, NOR flash), any other memory chip orcartridge, or any other medium from which a computer can read.

In some embodiments, execution of the sequences of instructions topractice the disclosure is performed by a single computer system 500.According to some embodiments, two or more computer systems 500 coupledby communication link 515 (e.g., LAN, PTSN, or wireless network) mayperform the sequence of instructions required to practice the disclosurein coordination with one another.

Computer system 500 may transmit and receive messages, data, andinstructions, including program, i.e., application code, throughcommunication link 515 and communication interface 514. Received programcode may be executed by processor 507 as it is received, and/or storedin disk drive 510, or other non-volatile storage for later execution.Database 532 in storage medium 531 may be used to store data accessibleby system 500 via data interface 533.

The disclosure includes methods that may be performed using the subjectdevices. The methods may comprise the act of providing such a suitabledevice. Such provision may be performed by the user. In other words, the“providing” act merely requires the user obtain, access, approach,position, set-up, activate, power-up or otherwise act to provide therequisite device in the subject method. Methods recited herein may becarried out in any order of the recited events which is logicallypossible, as well as in the recited order of events.

Exemplary aspects of the disclosure, together with details regardingmaterial selection and manufacture have been set forth above. As forother details of the present disclosure, these may be appreciated inconnection with the above-referenced patents and publications as well asgenerally known or appreciated by those with skill in the art. The samemay hold true with respect to method-based aspects of the disclosure interms of additional acts as commonly or logically employed.

In addition, though the disclosure has been described in reference toseveral examples optionally incorporating various features, thedisclosure is not to be limited to that which is described or indicatedas contemplated with respect to each variation of the disclosure.Various changes may be made to the disclosure described and equivalents(whether recited herein or not included for the sake of some brevity)may be substituted without departing from the true spirit and scope ofthe disclosure. In addition, where a range of values is provided, it isunderstood that every intervening value, between the upper and lowerlimit of that range and any other stated or intervening value in thatstated range, is encompassed within the disclosure.

Also, it is contemplated that any optional feature of the inventivevariations described may be set forth and claimed independently, or incombination with any one or more of the features described herein.Reference to a singular item, includes the possibility that there areplural of the same items present. More specifically, as used herein andin claims associated hereto, the singular forms “a,” “an,” “said,” and“the” include plural referents unless the specifically stated otherwise.In other words, use of the articles allow for “at least one” of thesubject item in the description above as well as claims associated withthis disclosure. It is further noted that such claims may be drafted toexclude any optional element. As such, this statement is intended toserve as antecedent basis for use of such exclusive terminology as“solely,” “only” and the like in connection with the recitation of claimelements, or use of a “negative” limitation.

Without the use of such exclusive terminology, the term “comprising” inclaims associated with this disclosure shall allow for the inclusion ofany additional element—irrespective of whether a given number ofelements are enumerated in such claims, or the addition of a featurecould be regarded as transforming the nature of an element set forth insuch claims. Except as specifically defined herein, all technical andscientific terms used herein are to be given as broad a commonlyunderstood meaning as possible while maintaining claim validity.

The breadth of the present disclosure is not to be limited to theexamples provided and/or the subject specification, but rather only bythe scope of claim language associated with this disclosure.

In the foregoing specification, the disclosure has been described withreference to specific embodiments thereof. It will, however, be evidentthat various modifications and changes may be made thereto withoutdeparting from the broader spirit and scope of the disclosure. Forexample, the above-described process flows are described with referenceto a particular ordering of process actions. However, the ordering ofmany of the described process actions may be changed without affectingthe scope or operation of the disclosure. The specification and drawingsare, accordingly, to be regarded in an illustrative rather thanrestrictive sense.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for displaying content components on adisplay device, the method comprising: receiving, by a processingplatform, a plurality of content components; identifying, by theprocessing platform, an encrypted content component among the pluralityof content components; and transmitting, by the processing platform, theencrypted content component to the display device, wherein at least theencrypted content component is mapped to a protected surface.
 2. Themethod of claim 1, further comprising: identifying, by the processingplatform, an unencrypted content component among the plurality ofcontent components; and merging, by the processing platform, theencrypted content component and the unencrypted content component into asingle output frame; and transmitting, by the processing platform, thesingle output frame to the display device, wherein the single outputframe is mapped to one or more protected surfaces on the display device.3. The method of claim 1, further comprising: generating the protectedsurface, wherein the encrypted content component is configured to berendered only on the protected surface; and transmitting the protectedsurface to the display device, wherein the encrypted content componentis rendered on the protected surface on the display device.
 4. Themethod of claim 1, further comprising: upon receiving the plurality ofcontent components, creating a plurality of frame loops, wherein eachframe loop corresponds to one of the plurality of content components;queuing the plurality of frame loops into a frame loop pipeline;obtaining a frame loop from the frame loop pipeline; and determiningwhether the frame loop corresponds to the encrypted content component oran unencrypted content component based on a source of the plurality ofcontent components.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein content mapped tothe protected surface is rendered on the display device and preventedfrom being replicated from the display device.
 6. The method of claim 1,further comprising: disabling recording or storing features of theprocessing platform with respect to the protected surface.
 7. The methodof claim 1, wherein the protected surface includes a texture having apredetermined dimension that maps to a field of view on the displaydevice.
 8. The method of claim 1, further comprising: identifying, bythe processing platform, an unencrypted content component among theplurality of content components; and merging, by the processingplatform, the encrypted content component and the unencrypted contentcomponent into a single output frame; and transmitting, by theprocessing platform, the single output frame to the display device,wherein the unencrypted content component is mapped to an unprotectedsurface on the display device.
 9. The method of claim 8, furthercomprising: prior to transmitting the single output frame to the displaydevice, allocating the encrypted content component to the protectedsurface on the display device and the unencrypted content component tothe unprotected surface on the display device.
 10. The method of claim8, wherein the protected surface and the unprotected surface map tomutually exclusive fields of view on the display device.
 11. The methodof claim 8, wherein the protected surface and the unprotected surfacemap to two fields of view that overlap on the display device, whereinthe overlap between the fields of view is displayed as encrypted contenton the display device such that while the encrypted content is renderedon the display device, the encrypted content is prevented from beingreplicated from the display device.
 12. A processing platformcomprising: one or more processors; and one or more storage devicesstoring instructions that, when executed on the one or more processors,cause the one or more processors to: receive a plurality of contentcomponents; identify an encrypted content component among the pluralityof content components; and transmit the encrypted content component to adisplay device, wherein at least the encrypted content component ismapped to a protected surface.
 13. The processing platform of claim 12,wherein the instructions, when executed on the one or more processors,further cause the one or more processors to: identify an unencryptedcontent component among the plurality of content components; and mergethe encrypted content component and the unencrypted content componentinto a single output frame; and transmit the single output frame to adisplay device, wherein the single output frame is mapped to one or moreprotected surfaces on the display device.
 14. The processing platform ofclaim 12, wherein the instructions, when executed on the one or moreprocessors, further cause the one or more processors to: generate theprotected surface, wherein the encrypted content component is configuredto be rendered only on the protected surface; and transmit the protectedsurface to the display device, wherein the encrypted content componentis rendered on the protected surface on the display device.
 15. Theprocessing platform of claim 12, wherein the instructions, when executedon the one or more processors, further cause the one or more processorsto: upon receiving the plurality of content components, create aplurality of frame loops, wherein each frame loop corresponds to one ofthe plurality of content components; queue the plurality of frame loopsinto a frame loop pipeline; obtain a frame loop from the frame looppipeline; and determine whether the frame loop corresponds to theencrypted content component or an unencrypted content component based ona source of the plurality of content components.
 16. The processingplatform of claim 12, wherein content mapped to the protected surface isrendered on the display device and prevented from being replicated fromthe display device, wherein the instructions, when executed on the oneor more processors, further cause the one or more processors to: disablerecording or storing features of the processing platform with respect tothe protected surface.
 17. The processing platform of claim 12, whereinthe protected surface includes a texture having a predetermineddimension that maps to a field of view on the display device.
 18. Theprocessing platform of claim 12, wherein the instructions, when executedon the one or more processors, further cause the one or more processorsto: identify an unencrypted content component among the plurality ofcontent components; and merge the encrypted content component and theunencrypted content component into a single output frame; and transmitthe single output frame to the display device, wherein the unencryptedcontent component is mapped to an unprotected surface on the displaydevice.
 19. The processing platform of claim 18, wherein theinstructions, when executed on the one or more processors, further causethe one or more processors to: prior to transmitting the single outputframe to the display device, allocate the encrypted content component tothe protected surface on the display device and the unencrypted contentcomponent to the unprotected surface on the display device, wherein theprotected surface and the unprotected surface map to mutually exclusivefields of view on the display device.
 20. The processing platform ofclaim 18, wherein the instructions, when executed on the one or moreprocessors, further cause the one or more processors to: prior totransmitting the single output frame to the display device, allocate theencrypted content component to the protected surface on the displaydevice and the unencrypted content component to the unprotected surfaceon the display device, wherein the protected surface and the unprotectedsurface map to two fields of view that overlap on the display device,wherein the overlap between the fields of view is displayed as encryptedcontent on the display device, while the encrypted content is renderedon the display device, the encrypted content is prevented from beingreplicated from the display device.